A Sustainable Home-Grown Mission

Posted by A Little Pillow Company on December 4, 2019

We opened our doors in 2007 with one ultimate goal: to make the most comfortable, supportive, earth-friendly pillow in the most sustainable way possible. Perhaps a big dream for a little company but thanks to the dedication of our team, we achieved that dream in February 2020 with Sown2Sewn Organics.

We start with a USDA Certified 100% organic Texas-grown cotton. (We even know exactly where this cotton is grown and by whom!) Our fabric is a French terry KNIT vs the traditional woven percales used by the rest of the pillow industry. Not only did knit turn out to have the most amazing feel and softness but it also has asignificantlysmaller carbon- and resource-footprint. Unfortunately we learned in our research that woven fabrics require vast quantities of energy, chemicals and water to produce while organic knit is low input. What we've chosen to use is the natural fiber straight from the field (and therefore the color will vary from year to year) that hasn't been bleached white or dyed, making the input for our cloth ultra-low.

Now let us introduce you to what's inside....

And this is where it gets really fun and exciting: Our Flex-Fill (TM) is made from 100% recycled single-use plastic bottles! So not only by choosing one of our pillows are you giving yourself the gift of a delicious sleep but you are removing unwanted plastic from our oceans and landfills. For every pound of Flex-Fill, 40 homeless bottles are transformed into a product that is hypoallergenic, machine-washable and blissfully comfy.

As a happy sustainable bonus, our Flex-Fill is made right down the road in South Carolina!

Our Sown2Sewn Organic Pillows are made even more sustainable with our Adjustable Loft feature. With an invisible zipper on one end, the user is able to add or remove any amount of the Flex-Fill desired to customize the feel and loft to their personal comfort level. This opens the door to untold years of use from the same pillow. (Oh, did we mention that all of our pillows can regularly be washed and dried?) We even sell bags of extra Flex-Fill for any future top-ups.

As a company we are always striving to become even more sustainable. Due to the hygienic nature of our products, plastic bags are required so we found a bag that can be recycled into other unique products. All of our bags can be dropped off at any grocery store Plastic Film Recycling Bin.

DID YOU KNOW: Plastic film can be used to make composite lumber for making decks, benches, and playground sets. Plastic film can also be reprocessed into small pellets, which can be made into new bags, pallets, containers, crates, and pipe. (Source: Plastic Film Recycling)

Our large pillows (and larger orders) are shipped in plain cardboard boxes. Not printed with any dangerous inks or dyes, they are fully compostable. Or use them as a weed-barrier in your garden!